Brother of spa shooting victim hopes for increased GPS monitoring

Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen appeared before the state's Joint Finance Committee Tuesday to discuss budget recommendations from the Department of Justice.

Among the proposals up for discussion is additional GPS monitoring of domestic abusers.

The issue drew statewide and national attention after the Brookfield spa shooting last October.

Zina Daniel was killed by her estranged husband, Radcliffe Haughton, at the spa after violating a restraining order.

The shooting left two others dead and four wounded.

Zina's brother, Elvin, believes the outcome of that day could have been different had Haughton been under GPS monitoring.

"Had there been monitoring at the time, and somebody would have Zina that Radcliffe was headed toward her, it may have changed the outcome of what happened," Elvin Daniel said. "Zina may still be alive to this day."

Carmen Pitre with the Sojourner Family Peace Center said some offenders disregard restraining orders, and GPS monitoring could alert victims when those violations take place.

"It gives us one more way to say 'You can not get away with this behavior,'" she said.

Pitre said that while GPS monitoring will not prevent all future tragedy, it will certainly help.

"The GPS is an extra layer of security," she said.

"If we can save just one life, we owe it to ourselves to try to do that," Daniel said.

Van Hollen said such a program would be administered through the state Department of Justice through a grant program. Judges could place individual who meet certain criteria into the program.

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